CHOLERSTROL FOR BEGINNERS

What Is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance in our bodies that is needed to make vitamin D, some hormones, build cell walls, and also create bile salts which help with digestion of fat. Cholesterol can’t travel on its own through the bloodstream and for this reason it combines with lipoproteins which pick up the cholesterol and deliver it to different parts of the body. Lipoproteins are made of fat (lipid) and proteins. The two most important of lipoproteins are HDL (high-density lipoproteins) and LDL (low-density lipoproteins). Because LDL and HDL carry cholesterol and when combined with it, have different effects on our bodies, they are also called cholesterol, “good cholesterol” (HDL) and “bad cholesterol” (LDL).